


a bandit like me.

by j_whirl44



Series: Sasha Week 2021 [2]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Cowboy, Gen, can I get a yeehaw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28838727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44
Summary: After this last job she's done. With him. With all of it.Sasha Week: Day 2 - AUs
Relationships: Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam & Sasha Racket, Sasha Racket & Zolf Smith
Series: Sasha Week 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2112768
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16
Collections: Sasha Week 2021





	a bandit like me.

Sasha taps her fingers on the bar as she stares into her glass of whisky. She's sitting in quiet contemplation as she thinks about tomorrow’s job.

It's been in the works for weeks now. Barret’s become obsessed with it to the point of madness. To a point where she's not ever comfortable going through with it anymore, but she has to. If only because she’s knows after this last job she's done. With him. With all of it.

She’s been running with this gang ever since she could really remember. She was orphaned, lost and alone in the middle of the California desert.

That's where Brock found her. A kind boy a little older than her. Told her all about the gang he was running with and how he's seen her fight and she'd make a great fit.

“Barret is...he’s tough but he takes care of you,” he explained to her one night, “and I...Sasha I can take care of you too. We all can. We’re family. Us against the law. It's all very exciting,” he said it with such a twinkle in his eye that Sasha had to admit it was infectious.

So she followed him and in a way he was right. They gave her a warm meal and a bed to sleep, that's more than she had in her years alone. It was welcoming. It was good.

Until Brock and Barret had a falling out. Then he was gone. Ran away, he tried to convince her to come, but she was too scared, too selfish to admit that she liked it there.

They were a family, after all.

So she stayed, and as she sits years down the line, she wonders where she'd be if she ran off with him. She took Brock’s place after that. Became Barret’s right hand in a sense, that was until Rakefine joined the group.

Sasha’s good at stalking. When she couldn't sleep well she’d walk in the shadows of the tents and it was then when she started to hear their late night conversations.

Rakefine so convinced that it's ‘in the best interest of everyone’ to take riskier jobs and that ‘the ends justify the means’ and while it's true that the jobs they’ve take recently have amounted in bigger scores, she noticed that the only one with fatter pockets was Rakefine himself. Not even Barret was getting a fair share, but for whatever reason, he’s stayed.

It was his idea to do this job in the first place. Rob a bank in the middle of the city in broad daylight. All because it belonged ‘unofficially’ to the rival gang. It was an act of revenge, not one of prosperity, but Barret didn't seem to care about that anymore.

She grips her glass of whisky tighter as she takes a long swig of it. She unintentionally slams it back on the bar and it makes a loud clang, disrupting the patrons beside her, she brushes them off.

Silently, her glass is refilled and she looks up to the bartender and gives a small smile.

“Thanks, Zolf,” she says.

“Nervous,” he asks.

“Always,” she jokes.

She likes Zolf. He’s a good man, as well as any man could be good this far West. He cares for this bar and isn't afraid to throw out anyone for getting too rough. It's close to camp and he’s let Sasha stay long past closing some night, no questions asked.

She can tell, from all his wear and tear, that he probably knows more about her situation than he's every willingly to talk about.

“Everything okay, then?” he pushes. They both know he knows the answer to that but Sasha sighs anyway and let's her shoulders loosen.

“Job coming up. Doesn't sit right,” she says.

“You in danger?”

“Always,” she repeats.

He gives her a pointed look as he crosses his arms across his chest.

She smiles a little, “I'll be fine, really, Ijust...I don’t think it’s gonna work. There's a lot of...a lot of variables not working in our favor,” she explains.

“You don't have to do this, Sasha,” he says. The words echo through her mind. Take her again back to that night Brock left. Then she thought she  _ did _ have to, but now…

She looks up and gives Zolf another soft smile, “I’m done after this Zolf I...Grizzop’s gonna be waiting for me, after-afterwards and the two of us are gonna, I don't know, find some place better,” she says.

Zolf cocks and eyebrow, “you and him, huh? How’s Barret gonna take that,”

Grizzop’s the gang's best hunter. He works wonders with a bow and arrow. Constantly bringing back fresh meat. He joined up about a year ago now and him and Sasha clashed a bit at the start, but grew fond quickly. He has the same reservations as Sasha, the gang’s not stable anymore, can’t be with the law moving further out. The time of outlaws was coming to an end. So when he came to her a few nights ago, explaining that he has the supplies he needs to desert, and would like some company, Sasha didn't hesitate.

They just have to make it through tomorrow.

She gives Zolf a shrug, “yeah. Me and him,” she says. She downs her new whisky in one go and Zolf offers another refill but she declines. “Need a clear head,” she says.

After another moment or two she gets up and prepares to leave. As she turns for the door, Zolf stops her. “Just. Be safe,” he says. She nods, “I'll be seeing you,” he finishes.

Sasha pauses. A tightens briefly forms in her chest. She’s not sure if she’ll ever see Zolf again, and he knows that too. She gives another nod, “Be seeing you, boss,” she says.

She doesn't sleep at all. 

The next morning they're all there. Bandannas raised and pistols held and the hip. Barret gives yet another grand speech about life and liberty and the law and it's everything she heard before, she’s just not listening anymore.

Somewhere a couple blocks down by the docks Grizzop’s waiting. Soon this will be over. She’ll be free of Barret, of this gang, and she can start a new life. Just one more mission and it's over.

A shot rings out.

It's too early for that. That shouldn't happen they haven't even entered the building yet- unless…

She looks Rakefine is no where to be found. The sherif and his deputies are closing in. The crowd in the streets are running the other way.

Sasha runs up to Barret. She demands to explain what's happening.

“Everything,” more shots fire, “Everything's fine Sasha just go inside and start the plan as normal”

“The plan?” She yells, “the plan isn't working anymore, Barret, we were set up.”

“Just do as you’re told, Sasha I won't ask again,” he barks. He sends off a couple rounds in the direction of the law. And she jumps back.

She feels frozen. She looks towards the bank and out towards the screaming sea of people. She clenches her pistol right and gives a growl of frustration. 

She enters the bank and hears the people let out a collective scream. She points her gun to the ceiling and cocks it.

“Please everyone wait inside here until the shooting is done,” she says, “and keep away from the windows.”

She looks around. She sees the confusion mixed with fear on their faces as they slowly lower their hands and nod their heads.

She swallows, “I’m not- not here to hurt you I’m sorry I just, please, don’t be a hero there’s no need,” she continues.

Whispers start and she lowers her arm. She holsters her gun. She closes her eyes and things of what to do next.

The money’s in a big safe in the back of the bank. Right in the middle for everyone to see. She could still take some. Her and Grizzop will surely need it. She has the materials for it. It could all be hers, they'd be set for months even maybe years. All she’d need is two minutes…

There's still the shootout going on behind her and it makes it hard to think. She shakes her head. Decision made. She walks up the the teller closest to her and they shreek.

“Where's the back entrance,” she asks. They appear confused. She waits patiently, “please,” she offers.

They lock eyes and she can see there’s a small look of pity in the teller’s face.

They point to a door, way in the back near the fault. It's only that would surely set off an alarm if opened. Attracting more attention. Throwing her gang even further to the wolves. She hesitates, but then walks towards it. She gives the teller a thankful nod.

She opens the door. The bell rings. She walks away.

Grizzop is where he’d said he be. He looks visibly relieved when he sees her. They don't say a word to each other. She removes her bandanna and mounts her horse.

They look at each other, “ready?” He asks. 

“Let's go,” she answers.

They ride off. Out of the city. Out into unknown territory, though it feels familiar in a way. She breathes in the fresh air. They start their new life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2! Hope you enjoyed. Inspired by *that one mission* in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cowboy Like Me by Taylor Swift lmao
> 
> I think Sasha would just make a good outlaw~
> 
> Thanks for reading; hope you enjoyed!


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